


On the Radio

by bookspazz



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, references to Belle's kidnapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-06
Updated: 2012-10-06
Packaged: 2017-11-15 18:57:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/530578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookspazz/pseuds/bookspazz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle finds a radio in the back of the antique store and gets a surprise visitor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Radio

Under a piece of cloth, on a bottom shelf, at the back of the shop, there was a radio. When Belle found it, it was covered in dust and it took her a bit of fiddling to figure out how it worked. Eventually its little red light flashed on and the soft drone of an announcer emanated through the speakers.  
  
She grinned, picked it up, and placed it on the countertop in front of her. It was at this spot that she had spent most of the day polishing various pieces of old silverware. It wasn’t unpleasant as she was always eager to keep busy. Nevertheless, she kept hoping that maybe today someone would come in with the intention of actually buying antiques.  
  
Belle had just finished polishing the last fork when the bell on the door rang. She looked up, expecting to see the familiar bent over figure of Rumplestiltskin. Instead, she was greeted by the much smaller face of a boy in a scarf and jacket with an inquisitive face and a kind air. Her spirits lifted instantly.  
  
“Hello!” Belle said, “Welcome! What can I do for you?”  
  
“I’m just looking.” The boy said as he closed the door. He moved slowly around the shop as if he was evaluating it, touching things and wandering aimlessly.  
  
“Well just let me know if you need any help.” Belle smiled. It had been a long time since she had spoken to anyone that wasn’t Rumplestiltskin and even longer since she had talked to a child. But this boy seemed devilishly intelligent and by the determined set of his lips Belle could see that he was here with a purpose.  
  
His wandering among the items brought him closer to the counter where she stood. He picked up a glass bowl and examined it then spoke, without looking away from the bowl. “So who are you? I haven’t seen you around.” His attempt at being nonchalant was fairly see through.  
  
“Belle. My name is Belle.”  
  
He put down the glass bowl and looked at her, eyes widening.  
  
“Really?! Wow I thought the book had just made that one up. So you and Rumplestiltskin…”  
  
Belle blushed. How this boy knew anything about that was beyond her knowledge. “And what’s your name?”  
  
“Henry.” He said smiling and holding out his hand. “Henry Mills.”  
  
She took the hand he offered. “Mills… So you’re Regina’s son?”  
  
His face fell briefly, but he quickly wiped that thought away and focused back in on her. “Yeah… so where were you during the curse?” He asked, moving to the other side of the counter across from her.  
  
She leaned over to speak to him more closely. “Well I was a bit of a recluse you might say. I didn’t get around much.”  
  
“You were shut away weren’t you. Did Rumplestiltskin do it?”  
  
“No! No no no he had no idea I was even here.”  
  
“Oh.” Henry seemed to be watching deductive gears click into place. “So it was my mother then.”  
  
Belle wanted to deny it but something told her that Henry wouldn’t believe her if she did. She smiled in a way she hoped was sympathetic. Belle didn’t particularly like Regina but if a child raised by a woman like that could still manage to smile, he couldn’t be that bad.  
  
The sound of joyful violins burst through the radio’s speakers. Henry’s face perked up. “I love this song!” He said, smiling.  
  
“Really? I’ve never heard it. I suppose that’s what comes of spending 28 years in the same room. Would you like me to turn it up?”  
  
Henry nodded and the radio blared cheerily on as Henry tapped his toes and whistled along with the lyrics “I’m in love with a fairytale”  
  
Henry turned to Belle again. She liked the way his eyes glowed when he had an idea. “Will you dance with me?”  
  
“Yes,” she said, somewhat surprised but mostly just delighted. She stepped out from behind the counter and took both of Henry’s hands in hers. They bounced around awkwardly for a minute or two until Belle laughed and Henry smiled. She spun him around under her arm before they started skipping around the room again, giggling with a mixture of panic and light headedness every time they almost knocked over a row of shelves.  
  
They spun in circles as violins began their celebratory final melody but as the last joyful sound of a bow echoed from the speakers, the bell on the door rang again. Belle and Henry dropped each other’s hands and sprang apart.  
  
At the door was Rumplestiltskin, both hands on his cane in front of him, analyzing the situation.  
  
“Oh uuhh hi Mr. Gold… I mean…” Henry stumbled. “I was just-”  
  
“Henry. It’s so lovely to see you. I see you’ve met Belle.” He gestured amiably in her direction. There was a certain polite face he used for company and Belle wasn’t sure she liked it all too much.  
  
Henry nodded. “I just thought I’d come see how you were doing what with the curse gone and everything.”  
  
“That’s nice of you, Henry. We’re doing fine.”  
  
“Right.” Henry paused for a moment, turning as if to leave, then seemed to change his mind and looked back up at Rumplestiltskin. “Were you there before the curse was broken? You know when Emma fought the dragon?”  
  
“I would have thought Emma told you all about that.”  
  
“She mentioned some of it but...”  
  
“You know,” Rumple said leaning back casually but hitting Henry with a somewhat threatening glance behind his smile, “I should think that Regina must be wondering where you are. Do you think I should let her know where you are?”  
  
The small startled flinch that came from Henry was definitely a sign that no, he would not like it if Regina knew where he was. So with that Henry hopped back towards the door. “I’ll be on my way then. Bye, Belle!” He said. With a smile and a wave, Henry was gone.  
  
The only sound left in the room was the hum of the radio announcers introducing a commercial break.  
  
“You found the radio?” Rumple said.  
  
“Yes, it was just on a shelf I saw when I was sweeping. I hope you don’t mind.”  
  
“Not at all,” he said as he picked up the radio and turned it over twice in his hands. “I forgot I had this.” He changed the stations a few times until he landed on something classical. The soft sound of a Debussy waltz drifted through the atmosphere.  
  
Rumple placed the radio back on the table, then held out his hand. Belle’s heart leapt giddily. “May I have this dance?” He asked.  
  
She curtsied awkwardly in her new dress, which was clearly not meant for that purpose, and took his hand. Rumple leaned his cane on the counter top and put his newly freed hand on her waist. She could feel his weight shift onto her.  
  
“I’m sorry I’m not as… nimble as I used to be. A side effect of the curse” He said.  
  
She smiled reassuringly. “I’ll hold you up when you need it. And if you can dance I see nothing to complain about.”  
  
He smiled in that way he only did when he was alone with her, a sad, soft smile she wanted to keep just to save it for the bad days. They danced in silence, swaying and shuffling slowly around the shop. A minute later, Belle pulled Rumple in closer. He looked lost for a moment, cheek almost pressed up against hers, but he didn’t argue and Belle took that as a good sign. They were both sorry when the music stopped. But they didn’t let go of one another just yet.  
  
“You know, I think I might be able to find that your old yellow dress somewhere.” Rumple said.  
  
“I don’t think I’ll need it any time soon. Don’t worry about it.” They stayed silent as the radio struck up a lively march. Belle lifted her hand to Rumple’s hair, softer than she remembered it, more like feathers and less like snakes. He closed his eyes as if trying to preserve whatever sentiment hung in these in between moments.  
  
“I missed you.” Belle said, causing Rumple to open his eyes again almost in shock.  
  
“I-I missed you too.” He said and smiled ever so slightly as Belle put both hands to each side of his face and kissed him.

**Author's Note:**

> Much thanks to Glitz (glitteringworlds.tumblr.com) for being the best fanfiction editor I have ever had.


End file.
